Hornady 115 gr HAP’s

[1911in9mm]

For those that have shot them, any knowledge you can share?   Where are you seeing your best accuracy with them, COL wise?  Do they tend to like a good jump to the lands, or plunk them and back them off just enough to cover loading variances?   Any particular PF they tend to shoot better at, etc.etc.?

[Ace38super]

I have been using them for several years in both 9 major and .38 super. I run OAL of 1.165 in 9 major and 1.240 in .38 super. I have done some bench testing and they are more accurate than the Montana Gold and Zero I was using, however I'm not sure if the difference is meaningful given the average uspsa field course. If you have a situation like 50 yard sideways targets that were at Area 3 a while back they do give some extra mental confidence. 

I use a Lee U Die for both to be sure there is no setback problem. I have no idea about distance from lands. As long as it fits in the chamber and sits a little under the barrel hood without hitting the lands you are good to go.

[zzt]

115 HAPs are the most accurate and most consistent JHP bullets I've shot.  OALs are the most consistent also.  Second best is Montana Gold.  Third is a tie between Precision Delta and Everglades.  Same goes for 124s.  I've never shot 125 HAPs.  I have about 2800 Everglades 115 JHPs left to use up.  I'll use them in my PCC loads for steel challenge.  At 1.161" they fed perfectly in my Open guns.  I had the barrel throated so it would accept the HAPs up to 1.165". 

 

I just opened my last box of 3000 115 HAPs.  So I'll be looking for a sale to order more.  If I start to run low and can't get the HAPs, the MGs are a perfectly acceptable second choice.

[chevrofreak]

My CK will throw them into a 1" group at 25 yards when loaded to 1.145" and flying at 1500fps.  

[sauza45]

That all I use in  38 supercomp, but I use the 125 HAPS. They have been great, very accurate. The 115 are .355 and 125 are .356

[buckley]

I have used a ton of them but mostly in Glocks and for informal bullseye and skills practice (not USPSA matches). I loaded them over Accurate Arms 2 and 5 powders, with medium to warmer than medium charge weights, based on the Western reloading manual's recommendations. I have never had a problem with them. My OAL was around 1.106, but I don't adjust it much. I did shoot a 49/50 4x with 115 HAPs and AA5 on a B8 center at 25 yards freestyle. So, I pretty much respect these bullets, at least in my handguns.

[RGA]

On 3/4/2020 at 5:26 PM, zzt said:

115 HAPs are the most accurate and most consistent JHP bullets I've shot.

 

I agree!

 

The 115 HAP and 115 XTP have been my favorite 9mm bullets since the early 90's. They never disappointed me no matter what pistol I used over the years. They have become my baseline bullets.

[1911in9mm]

The longest COL that will plunk in all of my current handguns, and give a reasonable machine variance for seating is an even 1.1.  As expected a 1911 with virtually no throat is the shortest.  A SP2022 and P226 both top out at 1.12 and an HK P30L at 1.125.  And several in between.  
 

Any foreseeable problems with a 1 bullet fits all approach?  Or should I vary seating depths more closely to the actual chamber?  

[zzt]

7 hours ago, 1911in9mm said:

Any foreseeable problems with a 1 bullet fits all approach?  Or should I vary seating depths more closely to the actual chamber?  

 

Personally, I'd have the 1911 throated.  That said, if 1.1" feeds in all, then no harm in making all that OAL.

[1911in9mm]

3 hours ago, zzt said:

 

Personally, I'd have the 1911 throated.  That said, if 1.1" feeds in all, then no harm in making all that OAL.

I probably will in the very near future. That particular barrel is substantially shorter than anything thing else I shoot on a regular basis.  
 

I guess I will just have to load some and shoot them to see if there’s any degradation in accuracy.  Being loaded that short, in a chamber that can tolerate a bit longer seating depths.  

[zzt]

5 hours ago, 1911in9mm said:

I guess I will just have to load some and shoot them to see if there’s any degradation in accuracy.  Being loaded that short, in a chamber that can tolerate a bit longer seating depths.

 

Unless you are looking for bullseye accuracy, don't sweat it.  My 1911 Open gun was throated to accept HAPs loaded to 1.165", because I intended to shoot major out of it.  One club I shoot steel at has a 1250 fps restriction, and another asked me not to shoot major.  So now I load minor for it at 1.145" and it is no less accurate.

[1911in9mm]

7 hours ago, zzt said:

 

Unless you are looking for bullseye accuracy, don't sweat it.  My 1911 Open gun was throated to accept HAPs loaded to 1.165", because I intended to shoot major out of it.  One club I shoot steel at has a 1250 fps restriction, and another asked me not to shoot major.  So now I load minor for it at 1.145" and it is no less accurate.

Good to know, I’m fairly certain I’m not capable of bullseye accuracy any more so that’s a good thing.  I’m not looking for anything close to major PF so warm minor is probably tops for me.  Something in the vicinity of 135-140 PF I’m guessing is where I’ll end up.  
 

The HK P30L has a compensator on it, and at 125 PF, it’s virtually a single shot still.  At 130PF it’s about 60% ejection.  I figure to bypass 135PF testing in lieu of going straight towards 140 and see where I’m at.  It’s still relatively new so springs are a bit taut yet.  

[zzt]

10 hours ago, 1911in9mm said:

It’s still relatively new so springs are a bit taut yet.  

 

A comp robs the slide of speed, so you either have to go to a lighter recoil spring, or a heavier load.

[1911in9mm]

That’s partly why I was just going to jump it towards 140PF just to see how it reacts.  And if it’s extracting %100 reliably 

Edited March 9, 2020 by 1911in9mm
Missed information

[zzt]

1 hour ago, 1911in9mm said:

That’s partly why I was just going to jump it towards 140PF just to see how it reacts.  And if it’s extracting %100 reliably 

 

If it helps you any, most of the people I shoot Open Steel with shoot loads in the 145 to 155 PF range.  Most use Autocomp because in that range it starts to work the comp.  One guy uses HS-6.

[1911in9mm]

Any help is appreciated, I’m probably going to load a few with N330, N340, WSF and WAC aiming to be around 140 PF.  See if that gives reliable extraction first.  If so narrow it down on recoil impulse after that.  
 

I’d like to get there with N330 if possible as I’ve got about 11 pounds of it.  Although WAC would probably give the most gas out of the bunch.